Vehicle wheel block device



Oct. 9, 1945.

L E. GONNELL ETAL VEHICLE WHEEL BLOCK DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

INVENTOR. LL 7: E. Comvzu. LEW/5 "(JONES Filed Aug. 9, 1943 1945- L. E. CONNE LL ETAL 2386 595 VEHICLE WHEEL BLOCK DEVICE Filed Aug. 9, 1943 2 Sheets Sheec 2 Illlll 5 mmvroa .orp E. CONNII-l- Lzwu m Jorvss Patented Oct. 9, 1945 vEH'IoLa WHEEL B14061; niivicn LloydE'Connell andLewisiWJJones,

San'Francisco, Calif; 1

Application August 9, 1943;.$eri5 fi6 ,o14 w I "tcla ms. (o1. ugh- Y v .This invention relates to wheel block device for vehicles and the like. v r 7 An object of this invention is to provide a novel type of Wheel block device which can be conveniently attached and installed *on avehicle and which can be quickly lowered into wheel blocking position When needed and after use can be easily moved into an out of way-position but readyfor repeateduse. 7 r. ,7 a e Another object ofvthis invention isrto provide a wheel, block. device which can be manipulated. forlowering blocks into wheel blockingjposition or for raising them into an outof the way position by remote control convenient to the operator or driver of the vehicle, so as to obviate the need for the driver to leavethe driverscompartment l Fig.1) is .fragmental end .view of. a double wheel andits relationto theblock; c.

Incarrying: out our invention, in the herein illustrativeweinbodiment, we. show it applied .to a delivery truck, which. must be stopped frequently and at short. intervals to make house tohouse, vdeliveries, but .the invention may be usedon any other type of truck or vehicle. where the blocking:

ofewheels.inthismanner is needed. In the pres.- ent illustrationwe showhthe. use ofltwoblocks,

oneiinfront .of the othervto the rear of the wheel.

and to manually place blocks under the-wheel.

Anotherpbject of this invention is to provide a wheel block device ,for vehicles which can be used, either as a forward block or a rear block, and which is positively and quickly manipulated from a location remote from the wheel, and is carried on the vehicle frame and body in position for immediate use. I

Another object of this invention is to provide a wheel blocking device which is-highlyuseful and simple in construction. Convenience of arrange ment, lightness and comparative inexpense of manufacture are further objects which have been borne in mind in the production and develop-' ment of the invention.

We are aware that some changes maybe made in the general arrangements and combinations of the several devices and parts, as well as in the details of the constructionthereof without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the followingspecification, and as defined in the followingclaims; hence we do not limit our invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the said device and parts as described in the said specification, nor do we confine ourselves tothe exact detailsof construction of said-'partsas illustrated in the accompanying drawings. w I

With theforegoing and other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following de tained description, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for the illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Fig. l is a side view of our stalled on a truck. V

v Fig. 2 is atop planview ofthe parts of theblock device adjacent-the wheel; I v

Fig. 3 is an end view of the deviceythe truck frame and body being partly broken away.

Fig. 4 is a side view-of the parts of the device adjacent the wheel, showing the wheel rolled against one of the blocks.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the handle control for manipulating the block device, and

block device ifl-:

Each block I his, preferably made. in, a. novel arp althoughlthe devicelmay bemade in other more, conventional shapes. Ijhe block 1, i substantially,ifrusto-conical with a, wide base}: so as to offer good frictional conta ct with the round. The. blo k. l. tapers upwa y all around at a suita le an le. pre erab ymo flthe,aver e 0f the-wheel 9 is positioned abovetheg uide pulley angle between the wheel and the groundat the. front or in; the rear. This frusto-conical shape assu es fi mgand roper. en a e ent wi h th wheereveneth u h-t e ma be t d around its axis when lowered, In other words, all the sidesofthe blocks all around are capable of qually f i i nt. en me wi h t e. W e r blocking citf hm l sm y b de o a Suitable mate al, but vl l mw el p act blocks made ofsolid wood worked yerywell, H

From t etop qfeeach block I, extends a fiexible line}. .The lines 3 maybe made of any suitable materia1, suoh'as metal cable, or rope or the like. The linej is suitably secured to the block l-, vfor instance by tyingto loop 4 as shown. Y

A block holder 6 is Provided above the p051- tion of each block- Q Each block holderfi issuit-;

I. It is preferable to mount the holders 6 as close to the periphery. of the wheel 9 as feasible, al-

though the holders 6 areto be spaced always from the; periphery of the wheel 9. The holdersfi are open'at the to and; the respective 1ines3 extend throughthe tops of the holders 6, 1.

Centered 'aboveqeach holder .6 is a guide pulley I l which is supported on a bracket bar [2, which latter in turn is secured at l3 to the fender 8 ofthe truck. The guide pulleys II ,are journaled on ahgaxisinthis illustration, substantially at rightangles; to the wheel axis so as to guide thelinesa into and out of theholders :6 when the, blocks .larehrespectively lowered and raised. The line, 3 of the block I to. the rear H so that it extends toward theframe I4 of the truck below the truck body I6 and is played around another pulley l'l so that it continues forwardly along the side of the frame M. This pul- The double pulley I9.

of the block holders 3 and vertical portions of the lines 3 are in the plane of the dividing space between the tires of the double wheel 31. Thus the blocks I are guided so as to be positioned on the g'roundbetween the tires'of' thfe'double wheel 37 so that both tires engage the'block I on their adjacent inner portions of their periphery.

is swingably mounted on the side of the frame o a pivot or hook 2 I.

For simultaneous operation of both blocks I,v the lines 3 are united together at a'poin't spaced This joint 22 forwardly of the double pulley I9. p where the lines 3 are spliced orto'therwise united is at such distance from the double pulley I3 as to allow free passage of the lines 3 through the double pulley .I9 'fOrloWering the blocks I. The single draw line"23.':continuing forwardly from the joint 22 may be extended directly to the controls if so desired. In the present illus'-' trative embodiment the'draw liner23 is connected to a rigid insert 24, which latter is guided in guide rails 26 along'the side of the frame I I.

The insert 24 slides between the guide. rails 26 when the blocks I are lowered or raised. vA forward draw line 27 is secured to the forward end of the rigid insert 24 and extends along the side of the frame I4 to below the drivers compartment 28. The forward draw line 21 is played around a pulley 29 and extends upwardly through the floor of the body and along a vertical frame tion such securing means are combined with a This handle 32 is piv-' manipulating handle 32. oted on the vertical frame member 3I'so that it can be turned around its horizontal pivot 33 in'a vertical plane parallel with the frame member 3l, as shown in Figures 1 and 5. The end of the forward draw line 21 is suitably tied or secured to a loop or hook 34 of the handle 32 atsuch distance from the pivot 33 that when the handle 32 is turned inclockwise direction viewing from the drivers seat, the line'2'I is passed in front of the pivot 33 and plays out the lines'TL and 3 sufficiently to allow the blocks to =drop to the ground. It is to be noted that the weight of the blocks I is'enough to pull-the lines when the handle is released. In order to pull the blocks I up into the out of way position the handle 32 is turned in contraclockwise direction viewing Fig. 5 so as to raise the end of the forward draw line 21 to above the handle pivot 33. The handle 32 is turned over center with respect its pivot 33 so that the weight of the blocks I exerts a contraclockwise pull or moment-on the handle 32 viewing Fig. 5. .A stop 36 limits the back swing of the. handle132 and the weight of the blocks =I functions to hold the? device inoperative position. I It is to be alsonoted that the lines are=of such length that the device provides sufiicient slack after the blocks I are dropped to permit the blocks to remain in place while the truck is rolled against either of the blocks I, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

When the wheel blocks are used in connection with doublewheels as shown in Fig. 6 the centers In operation whenever the truck or vehicle is -left with the engine running, or on an incline, or

in a position where for any reason the wheels have to blocked, the driver after stopping the truck turns the handle 32 in a clockwise direction as heretofore described. The weight of the blocks I pulls the lines 3, 23 and 21 respectively downwardly and rearwardly until the blocks I rest on the ground. Then the driver advances the truck in the direction in which thGIbIOCK' is to be applied. .Usually the driver permits the truck to roll oni thedncline againstthe block I. When startingagain the driver can return directly to the drivers seat and back or move the truck off the block by the usual driving means not shown, and as soon as the block I is free, turns the handle 32 in contraclockwise direction, thereby pullingthe blocks I-oif the ground? and up into the holders "6. These holders prevent loose dangling of the blocks-I in the out of way positions. The weight of the blocks I now" pulls the handle in contraclockwise direction around the handle pivot 33 and holds it against-the stop 36 thereby secures the entire wheel block system in inoperative position until it is needed again.

The device is simple to install' and sim le to operate. It saves time and labor, and'also lends added safety of operation in situations where trucks or vehicles have to use blocks for the wheels. The position of the actuating handle in the drivers seat clearly indicates whether the blocks are on the ground or in out of way position and thereby avoids accidents that may be caused by starting the vehicles while the blocks are still in place. This in addition to the safety provided by the positive blocking herein described greatly improves the efficiency and economy of truck handling andoperation.

We claim:

1. In afiblockdevice for the-wheel'of a vehicle, the combination with a block suspended on a line from the vehicle so as to be raised and lowered by said line; of a guide holder on the vehicle adjacent the wheel to be blocked, said holder being spaced from but being aligned with the periphery of said wheel substantially above the predetermined ground position of said block relatively to said wheel, and means to guide said line so 'as 'to pull said block to said holder when the block is raised, and to lower said block to the ground opposite said wheel periphery.

2. In a vehicle wheel block device, a substantially frusto-conical'block, and means to lower and raise said block in alignment with the periphery of the wheel to be blocked.

3. In a vehicle wheel block device, a substantially frusto-conical block, means to lower and 

